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Macie gave Adele a quick rundown of who was drinking what and then she grabbed her purse from the storage room. Coop was waiting for her by the front door of the restaurant.

She assumed he was planning to walk her to her car, though it was a completely unnecessary gesture in Maris. Crime here was rare and what little they did have was usually of a nonviolent nature, if you didn’t count the arsonist her cousin, Evan, tracked down and apprehended not quite a year ago.

So she was surprised when he placed his hand on her back and led her to his truck.

“Where are we going?” she asked when he opened the passenger door for her.

“I told you. I’m taking you out.”

“Now?” Despite her confusion, she let Coop help her up into the truck. It wasn’t like she had much choice in the matter. The guy was damn strong and pretty good at compelling her to do things almost unintentionally.

She’d first noticed that ability of his at a barn dance out at the Mills’ place a couple months ago. Her cousin’s band, Ty’s Collective, had been performing and she never missed a chance to catch one of their shows, as they happened too few and far between now that all the band members had “real” jobs.

She hadn’t planned to step out on the floor for the slow dance because she was hot and sweaty and her feet hurt from all the crazy Texas two-stepping she’d done. But Coop had reached out a hand to her and before she knew it, she was in his arms swaying to an old George Strait song, “I Cross My Heart.” And even during the dance, there had been no denying who was in control. He twisted and turned her with ease as they glided to the easy rhythm.

She hadn’t told anyone, but the dance had made her horny. Like seriously horny. So much so, she’d gone straight home afterward and fired up her vibrator. Three different times throughout the night.

Then he had done the same thing at her cousin Sydney’s wedding last month. Just dragged her out to the dance floor and once again, she’d relinquished all control to him. Put herself in his oh-so-capable hands and enjoyed the ride.

Once Coop climbed behind the steering wheel and fired up his old Chevy, she turned to face him.

“Listen, Coop?—”

“Buckle up.”

She reached for the seat belt, but the interruption didn’t distract her. “I know it’s been a long time since you’ve been out there.” She finger quoted the words out there. “But you can’t ask a woman for a date on the night you want to take her out. It doesn’t work that way.”

He glanced her way briefly before turning his attention back to the road. The corners of his mouth were tipped up in a not-quite-there grin. “Why not?”

“Because women need time to get ready. Fix their hair and makeup. Shave their legs and pits. Hell, at this point, I’d just settle for a shower. You’ve caught me at the end of an eight-hour shift behind a bar. I smell like?—”

“Whiskey.”

She nodded. “Yeah. I spilled some Jim Beam on my jeans.”

“I love the smell of bourbon.”

Macie couldn’t argue that. She adored the scent. “Oh my God. Me too. I’d bathe in the stuff if I thought Evan wouldn’t give me a DUI for it.”

Coop chuckled.

“But even so, I need a shower with plain old water and soap. And clean clothes.”

“You smell fine.”

“Okay. Again, you’re missing the point. All I’m saying is you’re lowering your chances of getting lucky with this technique. No woman’s going to put out when she hasn’t had time to prepare.”

He didn’t respond immediately, but Macie wasn’t exactly surprised by that. Coop was a man of too few words.

“You planning to put out?” he asked at last.

She rolled her eyes. “You misinterpreted that whole conversation.”

He looked at her, holding her gaze. “Not sure I did.”

She blew out an exasperated breath, perfectly aware this wasn’t an argument she would win tonight. “Anyway. Moving on. Where are we going?”

“My place. I’m making you dinner.”